Winemaker Notes
Ruby-red in color, aromas of ripe fruit and almonds complement undertones of leather and wood. On the palate, it is mellow and velvety with well-balanced tannins and a long finish.
This wine is ideal with savory foods, starters, game, and cheeses. Pair this wine with roasted beef, Madeira sauces, grilled venison steaks, and brisket.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Aromas of blue fruit and wet earth with a hint of lavender. Medium to full body, firm and silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Of the many value reds offered by this estate, the 2015 Aglianico del Molise Riserva Contado is my favorite. The wine delivers the power and density that is attributed to this fabulous red grape, followed by warm-vintage aromas that are exuberant and generous. You get black cherry and blackberry preserves followed by light baking spice. This is a full-bodied wine that achieves careful balance.
Rating: 91+
Making its home in the mountainous southern Italy, Aglianico is a bold red variety that is late to ripen and often spends until November on the vine. It thrives in Campania as the exclusive variety in the age-worthy red wine called Taurasi. Aglianico also has great success in the volcanic soils of Basilicata where it makes the robust, Aglianico del Vulture. Somm Secret—The name “Aglianico” bears striking resemblance to Ellenico, the Italian word for "Greek," but no evidence shows it has Greek ancestry. However, it first appeared in Italy around an ancient Greek colony located in present-day Avellino, Campania.
This mountainous region south of Abruzzo comes in second after Valle d’Aosta as Italy’s smallest and least populated region. Wine production is largely reserved for cooperatives with the main varieties as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. Plantings of grape varieties from its neighboring region of Campania—whites Fiano and Greco di tufo and the red, Aglianico—have increased recently.